The present invention relates in general to illuminated mailboxes, and more particularly, to an illuminated mailbox which utilizes solar power and one or more fiber optic illumination panels fed with one or more low power consumption and high lumen output light emitting diodes (LEDs). The present invention represents a unique illuminated mailbox apparatus which collects and stores solar power during daylight hours, automatically turns on an LED during nighttime hours, and feeds the LED light through a fiber optic bundle to a fiber optic illumination panel located behind the street number openings or cutouts on the post of the mailbox.
Mailboxes are often placed near the road or street on which a residence or business is located and serve to display the address number at the location in addition to the traditional mail collection function. Traditionally, the address number is marked or painted upon the mailbox or mailbox post. Without illumination, the address number is difficult to see and locate at night. Prior art attempts at mailbox address number illumination have utilized incandescent or flourescent lighting which require electric utility power connection from the residence or business. The prior art necessity of running electrical power wiring from the main utility power supply created a labor intensive mailbox installation process. That is, installing a mailbox is a relatively quick and easy task but running, burying, and connecting electric wire cables is quite time consuming and often requires specialized and skilled labor.
The prior art is replete with attempts to illuminate address numbers. U.S. Pat. No. 5,143,285 by Wise entitled Illuminated Mailbox Support with Photo-Cell utilizes fluorescent tubes requiring electrical wire hookup to utility power. U.S. Pat. No. 6,601,968 by Voacolo entitled Freestanding Mailbox with Damage Resistant Illumination utilizes a below ground illumination source which also requires electrical wire hookup to utility power. U.S. Pat. No. 6,050,012 by Greenfield entitled Panel-Joining Bracket describes an internally lit address sign with conventional incandescent or flourescent illumination, again requiring electrical wire hookup to utility power. U.S. Pat. No. 3,521,047 by Smith entitled Flourescent Yard Light with Illuminated Indicia describes a yard light with an internal flourescent light for post illumination but also requires electrical wire hookup with utility power. U.S. Pat. No. 1,842,597 by Foti entitled Mail Box describes an illuminated mailbox which further requires electrical wire hookup to utility power. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,131 by Goins entitled Illuminated Mail Box Post also describes an internally lit mail box post but as expected requires electrical wire hookup to utility power.
As can be seen from the prior art, the traditional tradeoff of nightime illumination energy required and daytime solar energy collected has precluded the prior art from utilizing solar energy and forced said inventors to utilize main utility power with the inherent complexities of installation. The present art apparatus utilizes the unique synergy of a high lumen output LED with low power utilization and a fiber optic illumination panel which allows for mailbox address number illumination without the need for utility power.
The unique combination of the present art allows utilization of a single LED to illuminate the address number which is preferably cut from the post onto which the mailbox is mounted. Utilization of a single LED alone without said illumination panel would not fully illuminate the address number cutouts in said post since the light cannot be uniformly distributed across the address number area. Nevertheless, when a single LED is used with the fiber optic illumination panel, the address number(s) may be fully illuminated with a minimal power requirement with a duration lasting throughout the night cycle. That is, since the single LED utilizes such a small amount of power, the daylight energy collected by a small solar cell and stored during daylight hours is capable of illuminating the address numbers throughout the nighttime hours.
Further unique to the present invention is the tapered triangular cross-section mailbox with triangular door and triangular cross-section post for mailbox support.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fiber optic panel illuminated mailbox which is capable of collecting and storing sufficient solar energy during daytime hours and utilize said energy to display address or other characters during the duration the following nighttime hours.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a fiber optic panel illuminated mailbox which utilizes a small and minimally seen solar energy collector and yet is able to display address or other characters during the following nighttime hours without wire connection to a utility power supply.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a fiber optic panel illuminated mailbox having a tapered triangular cross-section mailbox with triangular door and triangular cross-section mounting post.